Alton Runners produced some impressive performances at the third Southern Cross Country League (SCCL) fixture of the season.

Despite the heavy winter conditions, 415 runners turned out for what many described as a classic cross country challenge at Lord Wandsworth College.

The 4.6-mile course, organised by the Hart Road Runners, lived up to its reputation for being notoriously difficult.

The two-lap route wound through undulating woodland tracks and paths that had been transformed by recent rainfall.

Alton Runner Jane Law said: “It was exhausting wading through all the mud and water.”

However, the difficult terrain did little to dampen spirits, with participants praising the excellent organisation and the encouragement from the marshals stationed along the route.

Alton Runners fielded a team of 32 athletes, consisting of 15 women and 17 men.

Under SCCL rules, the first four runners from each club contribute to the team’s overall score. For the Alton men, the scoring athletes were James Perrett, Alex Hall, Steve Drysdale and Christian Coles. The women’s scoring team was led by Sarah Lewington, Wendy Kilner-Smith, Debbie Rhodes and Florence Smith.

These efforts led to a strong set of results for the club. Alton Runners’ men’s team finished sixth overall, while the women’s team placed seventh. This meant that, overall, the club finished the fixture in seventh place out of 21 competing teams. With three fixtures now complete and just two remaining, Alton are sitting in eighth position in the table for the season.

The next race in the SCCL will be hosted by Alton Runners at the picturesque Chawton House on Sunday, January 18.

The Grade II listed manor house and its surrounding parkland – usually home to a quiet herd of sheep – will provide the backdrop for the fourth fixture of the SCCL season.

By Lydia Andrews